OLD Woking chairman Jason Orriss is determined to build a legacy centred on introducing youngsters to cricket.

His affiliation with the club stretches back more than 25 years.

And since joining them when he was 11 years old, he served on their committee before accepting the role of chairman in 2023 after the departure of Matt Prisco.

The club’s first and second XIa play in the Surrey Downs League.

They also have a Sunday side and a thriving junior section, and are actively promoting women’s and walking cricket, the latter aimed primarily at the over-50s.

Orriss said: “Being chairman was never a role I necessarily wanted to do.

“When Matt stepped down, my plan was actually ‘I’ve been on the committee for ten years, and I maybe just want to have a year of playing’.

“Then he asked me to step in and I felt I owed it to him to reciprocate some of the effort he’d put in and see what I could do to take the club forward.

“A lot of the hard work we’re doing now is around our youth set-up.

“Most Fridays during the season, we’ve got more than 100 kids training between 5pm and 8pm – going back two years, we had none.

“That’s great because the kids’ parents are getting involved and it’s creating a real family atmosphere down here on a Friday, which is what we want.

“We’re never going to be a massive club. You’ve got Guildford down the road and Weybridge, who are always going to have bigger facilities. We’re never going to have that.

“We just want to make sure people come here and they’re enjoying their cricket and they feel welcome.

“We want the younger players to progress, learn, increase their love of the game and eventually be another Aaron Freeland [first XI captain] or Jack McArdle [first XI bowler] and come through and represent us at first XI and second XI levels.”

Freeland is in his fourth season as first XI skipper. Last year his 1,004 league runs helped propel the club into Surrey Downs Division One as runners-up to South Nutfield second XI.

His 186 off 107 balls against the champions was the second-highest individual score of the 2022 season.

Of that outstanding campaign, Freeland said: “We got a new bowling machine and it makes the world of difference.

“I spent a lot of time practising and I had the season of my life last year. It won’t ever happen again, though. It’s one of those things.

“We’d had a bowling machine for years and it broke, so we replaced it. I was using the new one for four hours in the nets a couple of days a week last year, and that’s why I had a season like I did.”

Freeland said the machine can be set to deliver balls to a batter at speeds of up to 99mph.

He said: “I set it to about 92mph so I’m ready for anything. If you’re seeing the ball at that speed, you’re going to see a ball at 70mph out on the square, so the bowling machine is a really good addition.”

And on his epic knock of 186, which included 15 sixes and 14 fours, he said: “I’m a bit of a hard hitter and I like to go out there and put the opening bowlers off. That’s what I do.

“So I’ll go out there and hit and I’ll have an anchor with me.

“But 186 does take its toll on your body, especially when you’re not that fit.”

Old Woking were founded in 1962 – and Freeland’s association with them goes back 22 years.

He said: “I started coming down at about the age of eight.

“I live over the road. If I was bored at weekends, I’d come down here all day and bowl.

“So I started off as a bowler, but then I stopped bowling for a while because I grew and I never adjusted my length.

“Then I focused on batting, and that’s where I’m at today.”

Freeland paid tribute to Orriss and the club’s honorary treasurer Vic Shipp.

“We’ve got a couple of key members, Jason and Vic, who have been here the whole time I’ve been here, and it wouldn’t be a club without them,” said Freeland.

“It’s like a little family here. We’re all good friends. The club’s got a great atmosphere, and it wouldn’t be a cricket club without that.”

McArdle, who took 34 wickets last season to finish as Division One’s top bowler, said of his time at the club: “I was 14 years old when I joined, so I started playing cricket quite late. I played here up until about 18 and then sort of lost interest, as you do as you get older.”

He rejoined the club four years ago, and puts down his return to the sport to Freeland.

McArdle said: “Aaron kept going on at me about coming back, so I said ‘Okay, I’ll come to training and see if I like it’ – and I did. I really enjoyed it, and the rest is history.”

Asked what he enjoys most about being at the club, McArdle, 29, said: “It’s everything.

“I like competitive sports, so playing here on a Saturday is something I really enjoy.

“But it’s the social side of it as well. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming.”